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The Role of Osteocytes in Pre-metastatic Niche Formation

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

The formation of a pre-metastatic niche (PMN), in which primary cancer cells prime the distant site to be favorable to their engraftment and survival, may help explain the strong osteotropism observed in multiple cancers, such as breast and prostate. PMN formation, which includes extracellular matrix remodeling, increased angiogenesis and vascular permeability, enhanced bone marrow-derived cell recruitment and immune suppression, has mostly been described in soft tissues. In this review, we summarize current literature of PMN formation in bone. We also present evidence of a potential role for osteocytes to be the primary mediators of PMN development.

Recent Findings

Osteocytes regulate the bone microenvironment in myriad ways beyond canonical bone tissue remodeling, including changes that contribute to PMN formation. Perilacunar tissue remodeling, which has been observed in both bone and non-bone metastatic cancers, is a potential mechanism by which osteocyte-cancer cell signaling stimulates changes to the bone microenvironment. Osteocytes also protect against endothelial permeability, including that induced by cancer cells, in a loading-mediated process. Finally, osteocytes are potent regulators of cells within the bone marrow, including progenitors and immune cells, and might be involved in this aspect of PMN formation.

Summary

Osteocytes should be examined for their role in PMN formation.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (BMMB-2047187), the Cancer League of Colorado, Inc. (Grant #203445), and the Anschutz-Boulder Nexus Program (#9866).

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  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, 427 UCB, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA

    Emma N. Briggs & Maureen E. Lynch

  2. BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA

    Maureen E. Lynch

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Correspondence to Maureen E. Lynch.

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Briggs, E.N., Lynch, M.E. The Role of Osteocytes in Pre-metastatic Niche Formation. Curr Osteoporos Rep 22, 105–114 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11914-023-00857-9

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